Chapter 79

When encountering a king, stop; if you can avoid killing, do not kill. This was the first secret plan given by the national scholar Li Yishan.

Xu Fengnian actually never intended to fight the Qingyang Palace to the death. If Wu Lingsu were made a king and killed, not only would Xu Fengnian, the prince, be summoned to the capital, but even Xu Xiao would have to face the emperor's wrath. Xu Fengnian self-deprecatingly called himself a rat everyone wanted to beat, but no one dared. Then Xu Xiao would be like an old tiger on the street, with few heroes daring to challenge him. Aunt Zhao said that a sleeping tiger would kill upon opening its eyes, but without the 300,000 iron cavalry of Northern Liang, Xu Fengnian was very worried that Xu Xiao would be at a disadvantage, especially in the capital, surrounded by enemies on all sides. Not only was the old general Gu Jianchang, who had countless grudges from the Spring and Autumn period, there to rest and wait, but also the prime minister Zhang Julu, who was called a dictator by his political enemies, had new grudges with Xu Xiao in Liaodong and old grudges from the death of his teacher, Grand Tutor Zhou, due to the depression caused by Xu Dazhuo. In the court, those powerful families with various marriages to the previous high-ranking clans, which one had not heard enough complaints from their relatives?

An old tiger without its claws, entering a cage alone, could it still kill?

Xu Fengnian handed the red box containing the Great Liang Dragon and Phoenix Sword to Qingniao, and placed it in the carriage along with three precious secret manuals from Qingyang Palace. Sitting on his horse, he looked back at the flying eaves of the Qingyang Peak temple, his face expressionless. To Yu Youwei, who was reluctant to part with the little sparrow, he said, "After sending Little Hawthorn back, don't ride a horse anymore. Stay in the carriage."

Yu Youwei was distracted, her face full of pleading. She looked at the innocent and carefree sparrow, then at the prince, but Xu Fengnian just shook his head with a heart of stone.

Leaving Qingyang Peak, Xu Fengnian let Little Hawthorn ride with Lu Qiantang, and the sparrow sat on Shu Xiu's horse, which Xu Fengnian led. Looking up at the two children with wet eyes, he smiled and said, "I won't see you off. Say goodbye to Old Meng, Liu Luwei, and Kong Bizi for me. I told the immortals of Qingyang Palace that when you can't make ends meet, you can owe them, and I'll pay for it. But don't eat too much fish and meat, or I won't pay for it. If the sparrow is taken to be a nun, I won't care."

The sparrow started crying. Xu Fengnian took a few steps closer and saw the girl tightly holding a leaf, probably intending to play a little folk song for him. Xu Fengnian smiled without a word, used his finger to lift her nose, and made a pig face, which made the little girl laugh.

Shu Xiu, who was holding the sparrow, had a strange expression.

Little Hawthorn was more manly, turned his head, rubbed his eyes, and forced a smile, "Xu Fengnian, remember to come back and see us soon, or else if the sparrow is taken away by some young scholar, I won't stop him."

Xu Fengnian tapped the young man's head with the Xiu Dong scabbard, "No bad mouth."

After tapping Little Hawthorn, Xu Fengnian slightly tapped the horse, and Lu Qiantang and Shu Xiu took the opportunity to spur their horses. The four of them entered a dense forest path, and the sparrow's farewell whistle echoed. Qingniao smiled and closed her eyes, knowing that this was the prince's best "Spring God Ballad."

Xu Fengnian watched their backs, handed his horse to Yang Qingfeng, and sat alone in a spacious carriage borrowed from Qingyang Palace. He sat cross-legged and used the Wudang Yu Zhu secret formula, combining it with the 4,000-word "Can Tong Qi," gently breathing, spreading the energy throughout his body. Externally still, internally active, without a moment's rest. All martial arts are like rowing against the current, and in the Northern Liang王府, there is a treasure mountain of martial arts, but before Xu Fengnian decided to practice the saber, did he become a master just by looking at so many high-level secret manuals? If it were such an easy and beautiful thing, wouldn't all the princes in the palace be masters?

Fish Youwei, who did not want to ride with the old sword god, entered the carriage and saw Xu Fengnian guiding the energy to his palms, covering his ears with warm hands, fingers together, pressing the back of his head, and tapping the back of his head with his index finger, making a drum sound. Fish Youwei curiously noted the number of taps, which was 24. Xu Fengnian, who was about to perform the "Heavenly Drum" after this, opened his eyes, slightly displeased, and looked at Fish Youwei, who said, "You don't let me ride, so I had to come up."

Xu Fengnian, thinking she didn't want to get along with the old man, didn't say much, closed his eyes again, and focused, tapping his teeth and swallowing saliva to calm his mind, leaving the beautiful Fish Youwei ignored. Fish Youwei, used to being ignored, didn't mind and enthusiastically observed Xu Fengnian's breathing, and after a while, she saw some patterns. Xu Fengnian's breath was deep red at the beginning and turned light purple, and he exhaled through his mouth and inhaled through his nose, with one exhalation for six inhalations. Fish Youwei couldn't hear the sound of each breath, but she could see the wind-like movement around his body, and even felt a coolness seeping into her skin, which was truly amazing.

Xu Fengnian sat quietly for an hour before opening his eyes and gripping his sword, the Xiu Dong and Chun Lei trembling. Seeing Fish Youwei's wide eyes, Xu Fengnian smiled, "Don't look. If you hadn't disturbed me, I could have meditated like a Taoist or a monk for a whole day."

Fish Youwei softly said, "I'll go ride a horse, I won't interfere with the prince's practice."

Xu Fengnian laughed, shook his head, and said, "Don't ride. If you keep riding, your buttocks won't be as smooth as jade, and if I want to have some fun later, seeing your rough skin will definitely kill the mood."

Fish Youwei angrily stood up, bent over to ride a horse, and was determined to ride until her buttocks were completely rough.

Xu Fengnian slowly smiled, "Don't get off the carriage so quickly. I find it boring to meditate alone, so I might as well tell you some secrets about guiding the energy. If you have nothing to do, you can learn. Immortality is a lie, but extending life is not. The Wudang breathing method, though simple, is very profound. It is the foundation of the great Yellow Court cultivation, combining the ancient methods of the Kunlun Five and Six, the Wudang Yu Zhu's Sixteen Sentences for Health and Longevity, and the young master Hong Xixi's Yellow Court Lotus True Scripture. Grandpa Wei has a book with the same name but a different path, and as a senior of the Nine Dippers, he said that this book would make the dragons and tigers submit. Come, I'll teach you a section of the formula to avoid wind and cold from invading your chest. The heart is the ruler of the organs, and the lungs are the assistant, so the chest is very important. This formula should be accompanied by rubbing your fingers, and if you can't manage it, I can help."

Fish Youwei was initially engrossed, but when Xu Fengnian revealed his true intentions after a few serious words, she felt helpless but didn't open the curtain to get off the carriage. She sat in the corner and softly asked, "Why didn't you take the sparrow and Little Hawthorn? Can you bear to let them become bandits like Old Meng?"

Xu Fengnian countered, "Is that bad?"

Fish Youwei angrily said, "Xu Fengnian, who are you? You are the eldest son of the Northern Liang King and the most pampered son of the Grand Marshal. You can easily give the two children a bright future. Is it so difficult for you? You dare to kill the immortals of Qingyang Palace, but why are you so stingy at the end?"

Xu Fengnian sat with his hand on his sword, lightly tapping the Xiu Dong scabbard, showing no emotion, as if he thought Fish Youwei was unreasonable and didn't even bother to explain.

Fish Youwei's face turned red, her eyes filled with sorrow.

Xu Fengnian still asked, "Do you think that if the two children were taken down the mountain by me, they would be luckier than the children of wealthy merchants, who are free from worry about food and clothing? What can they do if they don't become bandits, who at least have no fear for their lives? Spend their days like me, raising eagles and fighting dogs, or do some small business and be targeted by the enemies of the Northern Liang王府, and die suddenly one day? Fish Youwei, do you know what I find most annoying about you and your fellow scholars? It's your self-righteous concern for the country and the people, which is full of scholarly idealism. It seems noble and blameless, but have you ever asked the common people what they really need? Was the war of the Spring and Autumn period started by Xu Xiao? The scholars of the Shangyang Academy, who read books and think about the world, use a country as a pawn, and in the end, millions of people die, and the common people die in even greater numbers, while the Shangyang Academy loses only a few. Even if you hear about some loyal scholars drowning themselves, their names are recorded in history, but who remembers the lives and deaths of insignificant people like Old Meng? Your father, a scholar of the Shangyang Academy, wrote a poem of sorrow for the fallen kingdom, saying that the flag of surrender was raised in the capital, and there was not a single man in the country. To me, the top poem of the Spring and Autumn period is just a bunch of nonsense. Everything is fake, and the royal families should die, but the unheard cries of the common people are the true sorrow. You were probably caught in the refugee tide with your father and heard it, didn't you? Do you remember? My second sister wrote the Northern Liang Song, not to praise Xu Xiao's bravery. The poor Northern Liang has a million households, how many are wrapped in iron armor? This is a criticism of Xu Xiao! Ask how many emperors and generals are left in the dust? Is this a praise of the scholars like your father? Fish Youwei, do you know why I don't kill you? I want you to open your eyes and see, not just the江湖, but what true life is. Later, I will take you to the Northern Liang border to see the iron armor and hear the hooves, to understand what war is."

Xu Fengnian paused and smiled calmly, "Of course, I don't kill you because I want to bully you."

Fish Youwei was silent.

Xu Fengnian continued to meditate. This Wudang method, different from ancient guiding techniques, has been modified by Wei Shuyang, changing the "hu" of the heart to "he," the "he" of the liver to "xu," the "xi" of the spleen to "hu," and adding the "xi" of the gallbladder, which is beneficial when silently recited. Ordinary martial artists shout loudly when practicing, not just to boost their morale, but to guide the internal energy, which bursts out in an instant. However, most do not understand the technique and cannot achieve a uniform, fine, and continuous flow, in harmony with the natural order. When Xu Fengnian and the white-haired old man went up Wudang, the cow-riding man swayed on the mountain top in the wind, looking ridiculous, but the movement was wonderful. Outside Wudang, no one believed that this young Taoist who promoted the Yellow Court could carry the weight of the Black Tortoise, but Xu Fengnian gradually believed that the cow-riding man might be a once-in-a-century Taoist immortal like Qi Xianzhen.

But no matter how immortal, if they don't come down the mountain, it's all for nothing.

The incense of Longhu Mountain has been prosperous for decades, not because of the immortal Qi Xianzhen, but because of the heavenly master who extended the old emperor's life.

They had a wild meal at the foot of Chao Yang Peak at noon. Fish Youwei didn't get off the carriage, and Xu Fengnian didn't expect the little cat from Xichu to be tamed by a few words. Family and national hatred, added together, two people with different paths, how could they be reconciled by a few words? Besides, he didn't want Fish Youwei to be a submissive concubine. Without her wildness and spirit, it wouldn't be fun. Just as Xu Fengnian was about to go to the carriage where Jiang Ni was, he heard a thunderous roar from the mountain, like the dying cry of a prehistoric beast, making everyone's scalp tingle. Xu Fengnian instructed Lu Qiantang and Yang Qingfeng, "Lu Qiantang and Yang Qingfeng, follow me up the mountain. Shu Xiu, go get Ning Emei and follow us. This beast, which has been the king of Qingcheng Mountain for two or three hundred years, is not easy to deal with."

Xu Fengnian darted into the forest, agile like a mountain rabbit. Each time his toes lightly touched the ground, he could leap several yards without much effort, and Lu Qiantang and Yang Qingfeng looked at each other in shock, realizing this was not something an ordinary martial artist could do.

When Shu Xiu and the spearman Ning Emei saw the prince, they saw a strange scene. The ancient trees in the forest were all broken, and the ground was covered in blood. The prince stood on the body of a huge, unknown beast, its body covered in sharp spines, now dead, its skin turning from red to black, its abdomen cut open. The prince, covered in blood, was looking down at two newborn cubs in his arms, one in each hand, and said with a smile, "One will be called Vajra, and the other will be called Bodhisattva."

{Piaotian Literature}